Long car rides..

We'd like to take the kids to Disneyland this summer for a couple days. It's roughly a 23 hour drive straight through. Ideally we'd like to drive straight through with just a couple breaks for eating/stretching sort of thing. Is this a terrible idea? What can I do for entertainment for the kids?

We're getting her sister a Nintendo DSi for christmas, and we're considering passing down the leapster explorer to miss Kyra. Hopefully she'll be able to figure that out in the next 6 months. lol

Sorry, I take that back, it's 15 hours assuming nobody has to pee or eat and there is no traffic. When I've done the drive before several years ago it was 23 hours with a few breaks and construction zones to pass through.

Why don't you stick a little closer to home this summer and save for a big disney trip a couple years down the road? Your 2 year old isn't even going to get to keep the memories because she's so young. And it's a PITA to drive 3 hours with a toddler and young child. 23 would be stressful. I'd wait until they are older and you are in a better place financially to splurge a bit and enjoy yourselves.

I don't think your crazy at all! 15hr isn't a big deal. Or I don't think, since we've done it a few time.

We went to Disney World this past Oct and it's a 14hr drive for us. We deicded to leave after DH got off work then we drove until 10-11 and stayed in a cheap hotel. Then got up, ate breakfast and contiuned the drive. Personally I liked that best, having the break and the kids were less cranky.

We had DVD players so the boys watched movies, they used the IPAD and Kindle and we had plenty of books and toys to play with.. Oh and snacks!!

Eek! I would go insane in a car for 23 hours with my LO. But he's never been great in the car. We made a drive to Pensacola back in March (a 6-7 hour drive), and while it wasn't just terrible, it wasn't much fun either. Landen screamed for probably the last 45 minutes. But if I were in your position I'd want to make the drive straight thru too. I think the kids will be just as irritated if you stop for the night and immediately jump back in the car the next morning as they would be just driving through, and at least if you're driving then you're getting closer to Disney! So either way I think there will be some tantrums, unless your kids cooperate well in the car. But I'd probably drive straight thru too, or at least attempt to. 😉

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Landen Malone: due 1.21.2011... born at 33 weeks 5 days on 12.08.2010!!! My little munchkin man but catching up quickly!!

Drive at night!!! My Mom drove me and my twin sister by herself from Florida to Kanasas when we were 2 years old, in a moving truck none the less. she pilled up blankets in the floor board of the truck to make it level with the seat and let us play and rest there.

I know there are going to be some moms that are going to find this horrible that we were not in seatbelts but I survived!!!

The most we've done with LO was 6 hrs one day and then 9 the next (we got a hotel room), and that was pushing it!!!! The last few hours were terrible. You can get coupon books at state welcome centers or sometimes even at rest stops. We paid $140 total for both nights (on the way up and the way back). We would not have been able to do it otherwise. LO
is great in the car but he freaked out at the end!

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